N's P.O.V.~
Tonight is much colder than usual, the atmosphere indicating the next early winter—or what could even be considered a winter—out in this toxic wasteland. Snow falls into flurries, my skin and wings both appreciative from the exhausting hunt we just went on, sweaty and hot. The top buttons of my coat are undone, allowing for more 'temperature regulation'.
"Keep up, loser!" V giggled manically while blitzing past me in all her glory, a beautiful woman flying through the night. I swear her wings seem to be purer than mine, though ironically enough she carries the most bloodshed. Toned pale legs tightly wrapped in striped black and yellow thigh highs, denim shorts and a matching jacket stained with a bloody red. There's splatter all over her, yet she wears it like a symbol of pride. "Lowest body count gets cleaning duty for the rest of the week!"
She whipped herself around me, secretly sending a wink in my direction. I couldn't stop the smile forming across my lips, though it immediately dissipated the second I saw a third pair of wings much larger than hers or mine. Silver pigtails followed the womanly silhouette above me, a tail swishing dangerously just above my head.
"Knock it off, both of you! We're here on patrol, not to dottle around! Keep up the pace! And find some food while you're at it…"
"So mean J!" V groaned, fitting her arms behind her head in a relaxed manner in midair. "We just started, how about you cut us some slack? The humans won't be out in this weather, why are we even out here anyway? It's useless."
Said woman shook her head, clicking her tongue as she changed her trajectory, completely dismissing whatever she was about to do to me and refocused her attention onto V. "Maybe not but since we've been watching when their scavenging teams deploy, there should at least be two groups caught in the storm right now. All we have to do is find wherever building their taking shelter in. Even more, they're stupid, so if we look for flames from a fire then we've pretty much got it made."
More towers began to emerge from the heavy blizzard, indicating we were approaching the bunker we'd been keeping watch under for about a month now. Outpost three, probably the most fortified recovery of civilization to exist here on Copper-9 would be the hardest to kill off yet. We've tried everything—scratching the shit out of the exterior, infiltrating through the ventilation system, even ransacking the doors to make ourselves known.
Yet nothing.
Like they knew we were here. They knew we were coming even before.
"Wow, two whole teams!" She kicked her feet while gasping in a sarcastic manner. "J, we have a couple more weeks' worth of blood. Why are we going after them now?"
"It's complicated." She summed up, leaning forward to increase her speed and leaving the pair of us behind. The female next to me sighed, shaking her head as she rose her level to come side-by-side with me.
"It's complicated!" V mocked with her fingers, giving me a side eye with a gleaming bright golden eye. "Please, she's been so uptight lately. Like, more than usual."
I shrugged my shoulders in response, unsure how to answer. Whether I mock our leader or try to back her up, it doesn't change the fact that in some sense…she has been acting up lately. Almost as if she'd been searching for something. Something I don't know if it's worth looking into. "You sure you want to fly beside me? We might get caught~." I teased, opting to change the topic of conversation instead.
"She'll probably just pair us up anyways. She always does, thinking you're an idiot and everything…oh, how very wrong she is." The woman purred, brushing my shoulder. "She also doesn't know how good you are at other things more or less…"
My cheeks grew redder by the second, steam practically radiating off me and vanishing into the air as we continued to fly. "V! Shush! What if J sees? We'll never hear the end of it."
J, the supposedly strong leader who was jealous enough to take my place once we landed the stupid pod on Copper-9. She seemed delicate beforehand, but her wit has never ceased to amaze anyone. She doesn't care what she has to do to get what she wants. She doesn't even care if that means killing someone you love…
Someone SHE loved.
The moment I landed the craft I was knocked off my ass and thrown so far into the distance it managed to cause enough force to impact my overall physical being. Had the snow not been there, it would have taken days for me to heal—and a vampire's healing capabilities were some of the most advanced in civilization.
She claimed her throne, overtook all the paperwork and reports, and now suddenly she's the boss. Could I easily overthrow her? Hell no, I'm not the strongest in the bunch. I wasn't taught to fight; I was taught to fly high into the sky and well into space itself. I remember Earth like it was yesterday, sitting in a lecture room with so many fellow inspired freshmen just looking for a chance to one day reach out to the stars.
Become the next astronaut as one would say.
I got my wish, however, all for a price I wasn't willing to pay in the first place.
Feeling my eyes suddenly dim, I tried to shake myself out of it. There was no use in crying, what happened back then won't happen now, and I'll sure as hell protect V this time. Maybe we're here for an awful reason, but it's better than the alternative. Back on Earth with HER.
"She's too preoccupied right now," V muttered flipping onto her back again while folding her arms across her chest. "What do you say we go look for that second team she was talking about~? She could sure look like she needs some alone time, and I'm more than willing to give her that. Aren't I generous?" She batted her lashes, making me roll my eyes and the smile on my face returning.
"Go talk to her, but I'm sure she's too busy to deny you. I'll wait here."
Our leader may hate me, but she adores V. Anything she asks for, she gets. She wants to go off on her own and not report for a week? J will turn her head the other way. But if I do so much as take a single step out of our territory, suddenly it's all hands-on deck followed by a twisted punishment of some kind.
My gaze follows the gorgeous woman as she begins to fly up ahead and inquire, a supple nod of her head telling me all the information I needed to know, and the excitement to look forward to in the nearby future.
***
"Ah, N!" V moaned as she allowed herself to be slammed back against the walls from one of the buildings in a long-abandoned alleyway. Hands held together above her head with just one of my fists, the other freehand on her waist, and tail wrapped around her neck. She loves when I pull on it, encouraging her chest to rise a little more in front of me. My prize is within reach, licking my lips at the amount of cleavage suffocating in her jacket.
"Do you want to be a good girl for me, V?" I leaned forward, shoving my face into the crook of her neck, brushing my cheek against her own. My lips found their way to her ear, nibbling at the lobes and letting her squirm against my figure. She acts tough but put her in a position like this and she's putty in my hands.
The woman huffed, turning her head to the side and no longer daring to look me in the eyes. "Damn narc…"
"So mean~." I lulled out my tongue, letting it run down her neck and onto a certain spot of her collarbone where I knew she was sensitive. Sometimes I wanted to sink my fangs into her, let her indulge in the euphoria we may feel should we finally cross that boundary. It's not unheard of to drink from another vampire, but they take longer to heal. We come back with one of those and I might actually die from J's wrath. "I thought you liked being a good girl."
She laid her hands on my chest, trying her best to not let her long nails as sharp as claws scratch my clothing as her legs tremble, shaking, and hot. V is filled with need, a need only I in the moment can provide. "N…please…s-stop teasing…"
An elongated sigh escapes her as I run a hand across the back of her nape and into her beautiful silver locks, grabbing a nice handful before pulling on them. She gasps, allowing me to snake my tongue into her mouth and cease her sweet taste. Groans, moans, and all of the above came from the both of us, my body beginning to respond with just as much vigor as her.
My hips ground into her perfectly, taking the small of her back and pressing tighter, tighter, mother fucking tighter…I need her.
I WANT her.
Breaking our connection, I watched as the bridge of saliva fell in between us, running down her chin and roaming into the hills of her breasts. Leaning down, I open my mouth and take the zipper in between my teeth, pulling it down until she's breathing with enough comfortability as I can give to her.
"N, plea—"
SMASH!
V jumped and let out a scream, arms immediately halting over her breasts for cover. Quickly I used an arm and pulled her behind me, extending my own pair of sharp claws in the direction of what sounded like glass crashing down and shattering onto the floor. No one should be back here; we made sure before even coming into contact with one another.
"Where the hell did that come from?!" V whispered, following my stance. Gesturing my head forward, our golden pools fell onto what appeared to be a bunch of broken glass in the middle of the alleyway, only a few feet away from us. I rose a brow, looking in her direction, then to the building we were…busy…under.
Bricks covered its foundation, a rather old-timey design for such an advanced planet, though I do suppose humans tend to copy from their own pasts. Perhaps this town was meant as some kind of tourist attraction, or…maybe they were just stupid now. Either way, it wasn't stable anymore, with the top half of the damn complex leaning over at such a degree I was surprised it hadn't already collapsed.
But what caught my interest more was…
"A light?" I inquired more to myself than anyone, voice soft yet firm. The glass looked like it might have been from a window on the second floor, and a light that was still somehow running off of what maybe remained of the electricity. "Shit."
"Someone hiding out in there?"
"Most likely." I nodded, peering over my shoulder to inspect my startled girlfriend. Luckily no shards had fallen into our hair or our bodies, but V was still mine. I take care of her, and in turn she does the same. We are one. "How though? The electricity should be dead throughout these parts."
"Backup generator maybe?"
"Perhaps…" Though it's just odd in general. Humans aren't good at masking themselves, we can hear their heartbeat from miles away. So what the hell is up there?
Who the hell is up there?
My own two feet started moving before my mouth did, not thinking twice before entering through the building's ruined and run down entrance. Not like it was hard, the apartment complex had two openings with a set of stairs, the rooms on the bottom floor completely torn apart. Doors were either dented in, thrown sideways or just non-existent, meanwhile it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that from the smell of dried blood, at one point or another people hid here.
We came up to the stairs and slowly walked up each step. I hated killing, absolutely despised it, but if this was possibly the crew that J was talking about, we didn't exactly have a choice. There was no doubt she'd find the first, but whenever it came to us it was another story.
The second floor's layout was an exact replica from the downstairs, the only other thing rather obvious was an old, fringed door half-assingly screwed back onto its hinges. V and I exchanged looks, then sent nods of agreement. We needed to see who was behind this door, because if they spooked us with the window, then they might possibly be deemed a threat. I can't let anyone hurt V, if they do…
I'll never forgive myself.
"Well at least we know where they are…so much for hiding. Seriously? Why would you put up a door? Do they want to be found?" The female next to me mentioned, making every single cell in my being grow stiff.
Now that's something I didn't think about.
Did they actually want to be found?
'Why?!'
"Stay behind me." I said, lifting my leg to break down the door. V didn't have any complaints, she simply stood back and within a singular kick the pathetic piece of wood flew across the room and out the same window where the glass had been broken. My eyes widened, sure shit enough just from the entryway alone the electricity was on, however only in that room alone.
Dread fueled my dead heart, swallowing the nervous lump down my throat. I didn't like this, not one bit. A few steps into what looked like an old livingroom sent chills down my spine. Everything was either coated with a thin layer of snow from cracks of deterioration, or dust. V's footsteps being my only source of comfort as she came up next to me, inspecting the place.
"This is just creepy. No one's even here." She sighed, hiking her hands on her hips. "Something had to have broken that window. Why is the light still even on? Do you think they fled after it broke?"
"Dunno," I shook my head, just as stumped as her. "It doesn't make any sense. And…what's all this stuff?"
It wasn't just debris all around the apartment, but genuine and advanced tech equipment that humans would go absolutely crazy for in this day and age. They wouldn't just leave it behind, at least some of it would be salvaged. However…they too seem to not have been touched in awhile.
Something's not right here.
"Oh, god…N look." V slapped a hand over her mouth, eyes narrowing with small tears prickling from the corners. She pointed toward the end of the hall, my own jaw dropping.
'There they are.'
Laying on the floor was a girl, maybe a little above five feet with her eyes open. Faded purple hair grown out with black roots at the top of her head, pale skin, and a grungy getup with a pair of matching clunky boots. There was a beanie not too far away, probably knocked over after some past time, judging by her position it looks like she might have fainted. But her eyes….they're open. One purple and another golden just like hours, its glowing veins trailing underneath her skin and eerily pumping.
I've never seen ours do that before, but whoever she is might actually matter. It feels as though she's staring straight into my soul, unmoving, her chest rising and falling. She's alive, but how? How long has she been here? Dust settled around her mixed in with snow, any other normal human would have died a lot sooner from the harsh temperatures alone.
"Who the hell is she?" V stalked closely, crouching on her knees and studied the girl in front of her. "N…yellow bandage." She pointed out, a small detail in which I had failed to notice before.
"She from bunker three then." I concluded, rubbing my chin deep in thought. For some reason, there's only been a few humans in the past month with yellow bandages on their arms, but from the many corpses I've seen…there's never been one like this. She's still alive. I glanced down at my own serial designation patch sewn into my parka, wondering if perhaps they were trying to follow vampire customs. If that's the case, maybe she did something to get exiled.
"It's like she's in paralysis." V muttered, touching her arm and beginning to wipe the grime off her. A small tinge of jealousy swept through me, but V never touches just anyone. She touches those who she deems as invaluable, interesting, or simply those she can trust. This is on a whole other level. Her focus is soley on her. "Has that been what's keeping her alive do you think? Vampires can go without for quite a while…"
"Are you saying you think she's like us?"
"Maybe." She shrugged. "Her eye is what's making me think so, even if the purple thing has been here for a while. She's cold…like, really cold."
Her golden eyes softened, biting her bottom lip. Nails while sharp made sure to not make contact with the unknown woman's skin as to avoid scratching, but every instinct in me was telling me to do the same. There's something bigger going on, and for whatever reason V was immediately drawn to her. That sort of thing doesn't just happen on a whim.
I take a few more steps forward, leaning down onto my knee and coming face-to-face with the girl. My lips form a tight grimace, and for a split second, I think I can feel what V felt. My undead pulse races, heat flushes to my cheeks, and in a moment all I want to do is engulf her in my arms.
"Okay…" I nodded, not even sure if she could see or hear me. "We'll take you to J, she'll know what to do."
After getting a majority of whatever built off of her in the past however long she's been here, I lifted the girl into my arms, jolts of electricity sparking through me. V and I exchanged looks, both filled with worry. However mine ran deeper, a bit of guilt splashed on.
She's…attractive. It feels like my skin is burning with desire, and as wrong as it is, it's never felt so right. It's the same feeling as when I met V for the first time, our desire kindled with one another and formed an unbreakable bond.
So what the hell is wrong with me?
"Are you sure J will let her live? She might kill her the second you walk into the spire with her." My girlfriend in question inquired, only I sighed in response.
It's true, she may not even get through the front entrance, but her eye might be what stops her. This isn't a regular human, this is a different entity entirely.
We just…have to do some convincing is all.
Totally easy….
'Biscuits…'
Chapter 2
One Year Prior!
~Uzi's P.O.V.~
"The relaxer should hold off the infection from spreading anymore for at least the next twenty-four hours. By sunrise tomorrow morning you are expected to gather as much as you can and be banished from the colony. Do you understand?" The nurse asked as she finished up injecting me with a needle, then tied a plain yellow bandage over my arm. Her hands were shaking, body already refusing to look me in the eyes.
I'd become a monster.
Copper-9, the only planet left in the universe that probably had a somewhat functional and an advanced species of human, run down all because of a stupid gene. When humans turn twenty-one, our blood is drawn, taken into the labs to analyze our DNA. And thanks to my mother being a test subject back when she was alive, I already knew the outcome.
The solver gene was no laughing matter. It was known to cause quite a bit of problematical schemes back when the outpost was first being built. Then when they discovered it could spread to offspring, they too had no chance at surviving. You're given twenty-four hours to pack up and say goodbye to your family.
I was doomed from the start.
It's unfair, unprecedented and overall just plain rude. I didn't ask to be made this way, it's not my fault for being the daughter of a past lab subject. Yet still, there is no hope. The best I can do is try to survive for however long as I can out there, waiting until it was my time to cease from this pitiful existence…
—is what I would say if I actually gave a shit.
Truth be told I've been planning this since the moment I could comprehend what the bunker was scared of. Doesn't matter to me if it's now or tomorrow, my own father wanted nothing to do with me growing up, saying I looked too much like mom. He's never met my gaze, never hugged me or praised me like a parental figure should. I'm simply known as the chief's daughter who got infected with the same gene her very mother was executed for.
What. A. Shame.
Vampires seem like a better way to go anyways—or at the very least hotter. I mean, there's biting involved so—
"AHEM!" The nurse purposefully cleared her throat, snapping me out of my thoughts. She seemed even more terrified now, unbeknownst to the cruel smile crossing my lips. "Do you understand, Uzi Doorman?"
"Yeah, yeah." I rolled my eyes, hopping off the seat. She immediately darted back into the corner, using her clipboard as some kind of shield. "Don't worry, I don't bite. Yet~."
"Get out!" She pointed towards the door, little droplets of sweat beading down her face. Seriously, if she didn't want this job then why the hell is she working it? That or she did at the time and has a horrible poker face.
Deciding fun time was over, I did as she said and waltzed out the door with no issue. The hallways would be worse once someone saw my bandage, a sign of the worst status an individual could possibly have. You're criticized, ridiculed, paper balls are thrown and harsh words are spoken.
At last I turned from the abandoned hallway, crossing over into another busy sector. If there was an alternate route, I would take it…but unfortunately that wasn't the case. A certain blonde was resting against the locker, all prepped and pretty, makeup making her crystal pink eyes pop and lip gloss ready to cross anyone who would dare to wrong her. She turned her head, narrowed her eyes on her target like it was her next prey, pursing her lips into a manipulative smile.
"Wow…so the freak actually was infected? Who would've guessed?" She pushed herself off the metal surface as her boyfriend finished pushing someone else into one of the lockers like in those old cheesy movies, hiking her hands on her hips in a flashy skirt with a matching crop top that screamed cheer captain. "So how's it feel? To know how much of an inconvenience you are to society? Not even the world wants you."
"Fuck off Lizzy." I snapped, flipping the bird and hustling even faster. If I didn't get away from her now I'd end up bruised and beaten on the ground.
"Awww c'mon Doorman—wait…you're not Doorman anymore, are you? What's your serial designation name? They had to have given you one."
My shoulders hunched in on themselves, gritting my teeth at hearing that. The bunker strips you of your name once you've been infected, no longer was I Uzi doorman, daughter to Khan and once upon a time Nori Doorman, but simply…a serial designation. According to the records, I believed they essentially called me U.
"I said leave me alone…" The growl was prominent, her posse surrounding her turning frozen, even the preppy bitch herself gulping at my tone. However, it's not like she'd let a simple sentence stop her. Oh no, Lizzy could do far worse…she has done far worse, making my school experience a living hell.
The thing that scared me the most was the feeling that suddenly abrupted in me, like an anger that didn't know it was lying deep inside, waiting to burst out. I can feel something growing inside of me. Perhaps rage, maybe despair, or a little bit of both. It's like I know there's something more to all of this, I know for a damn fact that this infection had an underlying secret. What we know isn't the full truth.
Which is why I'm setting out to find the main reason.
Supposedly, according to dispatch teams as well as scavenging groups, those who are exiled from the bunker normally don't make it past three days. That's usually because of natural incidents like freezing to death but sometimes depending on the state the person is found, they either completed the transformation and died from lack of blood intake, or they themselves were food.
To the ACTUAL vampires.
Rumored to have came from Earth to annihilate our advanced species years ago, only lately have we seen them more and more. Rarely did few come back alive and live to tell the tale. However, even though vampires are strong, the fuckers can still be killed with a stupid piece of wood. They aren't as strong as they deem themselves out to be.
Physically, perhaps, but mentally, well…I'll have to find out.
"Freak…" Lizzy muttered with utter disgust, the words not exactly meaning much to me. If she was trying to insult me, she was dead wrong. I couldn't care less what anyone thinks of me in this bunker. It's a joke, and to be living in here is cruel.
Said preppy bitch flipped her ponytail over her shoulder and walked off, swaying her hips like they were hypnotizing her posse to follow along. She shoved my side while passing by, stumbling over my own two feet. Not the worst outcome I thought imaginable, but it still leaves a sour feeling in my mouth. Like my life is no longer my own.
Just when I hoped that would be the only bad interaction, the whispers radiating throughout were worse, everyone's judgmental eyes on me.
"I knew she was infected."
"Wasn't her mom one of the original subjects? Sucks to be her."
"Serves her right…"
My smile grew wider and wider, everyone's true colors finally coming to light. They were all too scared to come at me directly before because of my reputation…because of who my father is. But now, it's all laid out in front of me, each card in my deck getting picked off one-by-one. All until I have nothing left but the joker, and a mindset that tells me I was right all along.
I'm not wanted here, so why stay in a place where my potential rots?
Finally the golden nameplate of my living quarters glimmered in front of me, the door in my face yet seems like the knob is far away. I know what waits on the other side, and whose disappointed face I'm used to seeing standing there, silently judging me.
"Hey, dad." I murmured, sucking it up and opening the damn thing. Just like I figured, the big ol' jackass himself was standing there a few feet away, arms folded over his chest. He's aged over the years, wrinkles all over his face, groomed mustache with not a single hair out of place, eyes that dimmed, and yet…no fatherly warmth at all. He stood there defensively, like he already knew.
He probably did.
"I uh…I'm home."
"Are you?" He asked, voice deep and slurred like he'd been drinking. Nothing new there. He fixed his gaze to the ground, kicking my backpack I had already packed the night before. "Because it seems to me this isn't your home anymore."
"So you know." I sighed, figuring the nurse must've called him right after I left. That lady is seriously a bitch, but I get it. He needs to know who's infected. "And here I thought I could surprise you."
Apparently the sarcasm was a bad choice because his lips formed a thin line, pointing to my bandage. "Can't surprise anyone with that."
"Right…" The silence was so loud, rubbing my palms against my jeans to wipe away any nervousness that sunk deep inside of me. Father or not, he was intimidating, and to be honest the old man and I were practically strangers. "I'll just take my things and go."
I reached for my backpack, lifting the straps over my shoulders. Luckily, I'd snuck out and stashed most of my other things I wanted to a nearby complex I'd scouted about a year before. Surprisingly enough, the place hadn't collapsed and it was in the shadows enough where anyone would hopefully never find me. It would serve just fine as a home base, however that was to say my food rations were another worry. Sneaking some from over the years and preserving them had only occurred to me about a year ago, which meant I'd have to find another way to make myself last until then.
The older male in front of me huffed, slipping off his helmet to reveal his horribly receding hair line, smoothing through what was left of white locks that had lost their color. "Uzi…"
"Don't." I shook my head, raising a hand. "Don't try and be close with me now. You and I never knew each other, and you were never there for me. If you want to help now then stay distant." Fuck…why does that hurt so much? It feels like everything I ever knew is slipping away from me…
But I didn't know him…so why? Is it because he's my father or…maybe it's just a natural instinct?
He pursed his lips as his eyes grew into narrow slits while putting up his hardened exterior. "I was just going to tell you to get out of here now instead of later, I have someone coming over tonight and I don't need distractions."
'Ouch.'
"Rot in hell." I hissed, turning the knob before slamming his precious door in the face.
***
The cold air is so much cleaner, snow flying around in beautiful flurries. I'd rather be cold than surrounded by people who hated me, the night's quiet being my only friend in eternal silence. If only it weren't for the old blood splatters yet to be covered and the fact that frost bite still existed, my happiness would go up to the next level.
Alas, dying out here would be rather inconvenient.
I huffed out a dry laugh, reaching into my pocket and pulling out a set of keys. Twirling the silver ring around my finger, my eyes set onto the black tarp that was a few feet away. It was complete and utter hell trying to sneak the thing out last minute, but somehow I managed to convince the drunk guards I was simply a fragment of their imagination, pressing them to open the doors.
Taking a few steps over, I managed to pull the tarp off and found the very thing I was trying to keep hidden still in perfect condition. Even with all the snow on Copper-9, a human can't travel far. Walking distance alone can only range up to about an hour before dangerous symptoms pursue, and so traveling can be a pain in the ass. Unless you have something else that can drive.
The snow bike I've been working on for about two years now shimmers against the cold shunning of the moon. I've got a couple of hours to work with, and it would cut the time to the small base I found in half. I just…needed to be careful…
Considering I haven't tested it out yet.
Like, at all.
A nervous breath escaped me as I fastened the straps to my overstuffed backpack, lifting one leg over the seat and grabbing the handles. I kicked the stand upward and finally turned on the power, giving a few twists to rev the engine, hearing it roar to life.
The smile of my face beamed upward with edging success, a small satisfactory cheer shouting inside of my mind. I knew the thing would work, but taking into mind how it was all just parts before…
'If dad saw this…would he be proud?'
No, no use in thinking about that now. The bunker isn't my home anymore, and I'm left to rot away in the snow, like some kind of extinct animal.
Switching the headlights on, I finally put a stray helmet atop my head and pressed the gas. I zoomed off carefully, following my old footprints from tracks before—luckily ones where the snow hadn't yet laid any fresh powder. The blizzard season is going to be starting soon, and that's the real challenge. Surviving the weather here is little to none if you don't have as good of conditions inside of the bunker.
But no one told me how…thrilling it would be. The feeling of the wind zipping past me was unlike anything I'd ever felt before, the only familiar concept I've ever known were the endless hours of videos and tutorials I watched to construct it. I envied those who got to ride a whole bunch on Earth before…I fucking love this!
"Hell yeah! Suck on that DAD!" I screamed through the air, riding off on my newfound sense of freedom. The sky and weather conditions were probably the best they were going to be before more snowfall hit, and I wasted no time in indulging on my success. Building after building I zipped by in a blur, ignoring any kind of semblance of blood or bones or anything else.
Just me and the manmade road I was creating.
Not even our best engineers could recreate vehicles given the disaster, not knowing how to take a random couple of parts and meld them together, or connecting wires suddenly creating a spark of life. None of them know, and they never will.
That feeling stirred in my chest, from discoveries alone we could've built something that might have at least ended our fear to go outside, but humanity being itself—humans were scared of anything they didn't understand.
'Fuck. That.'
I'd say even the infection wasn't real if only I hadn't snuck inside of the labs before and seen autopsies of previous victims they recovered.
'The infected…like me…I wonder how much longer I'll live for.'
***
A couple of minutes later I finally piped down and stopped inside of an alleyway right outside of the building I've had my eyes on. Its brick foundation was old, not much to go off of age-wise but since the thing was leaning over, safe to say at least no one would be going into it. It's risky, but if I at least stay on the second floor it increases my chance of survival. With the breaking point and trajectory it would fall at, it wouldn't collapse on me.
The helmet created a coat of sweat covering my face, strands of my hair plastered against my forehead as the heat from the ride caught up with me. I popped it off my head and felt the cool air pleasantly attack me once more. After going out a couple of times it began to feel normal, though I knew the temperature here alone could easily diminish that thought. I pushed the bike into the lower level as to avoid it getting any damage from the snow and reverted my gaze to the icy stairs.
"Shit," I muttered, clenching my hands into fists. Suddenly it occurred to me maybe this might be harder than I thought, and the bike might have been a bad idea.
When you walk, you can cover your tracks…riding though defeats the whole purpose, and I'd neglected adding on a stronger roost to attempt to somewhat get any kind of creatures—like VAMPIRES—off my tail.
I ran a hand through my greasy hair, trying to think if there might be a way I could at least deter my location from the buildings. A strong gust of wind brought me out of my thoughts, a chill radiating through my body. The pieces in my head clicked and I let out a breath of relief.
'The wind will blow snow over the tracks…perfect!'
My panic had dissipated and at least for now I was in the clear. If anyone found me hiding out here I wouldn't have the advantage to fight back. I still don't know the structure or state this building is in, and until then every move had to be carefully articulated. It needs to be if I plan on surviving.
Immediately I didn't hesitate checking out the bottom floor first, a few readjustments but I could possibly make the place a storage space of some kind, hiding it from the outside. The distance between here and the bunker isn't that bad either, but still…humans will spot the place and come looking for either any kind of left over material or camp out for the night.
'I can't stay here…not permanently anyway.'
A sad realization, but true. After a pathetic attempt of a walk-through I headed up to the second floor. It's a little more constructed but still a complete mess.
"Not as horrible." I said to no one in particular, resting my hands on my hips. An ache began to form in my lower back, all the heavy equipment I was carrying began to take a toll, and I'm sure riding hunched over like that had a play in it too.
My eyes caught a room on the left that was practically empty with a window across. An impressive open concept with a bedroom and bathroom down a small hall. It wasn't a lot, but I could make it work for what I needed. I claimed the room within an hour, adding on a banged up door with some half-assed welding technique and relieved my backpack of its poor unfortunate stretched state.
For the most part all of my stuff I stored in the other room when searching around a couple months back was still there by some miraculous miracle. "Looks like no one's come here in a while then. That's goo—!"
A sharp pain stung through my chest, figure frozen in place. My hand clenched the area, balling up the fabric of my shirt. I grit my teeth, eyes wide, and an iron taste bubbling up my throat.
"What…the fuck?" Red, thick liquid dribbled down my lips, spurting out onto the floor. It felt as if a sinking mixture of cool and warmth seethed throughout my body, a numbness taking over and causing me to lose all feeling in my legs. Falling to my knees, I winced at the spot where the bandage was.
Slowly, I lifted a piece of the fabric up, spotting where the nurse made the injection severely inflamed to the point of purple. My face flushed—and what I presumed were tears—running down my cheeks.
~Slight Flashback~
"The relaxer should hold off the infection from spreading anymore for at least the next twenty-four hours."
~
"P-poison…?" It was more of a question than an actual confirmation for myself, but anger rose up inside me. They never planned on letting me live…one simple misstep in detail got me caught. I had so many plans…
That's when it clicked.
Why the bunker sent scavenging teams outside every couple of days…
Why they told people to leave within a day after getting the injection…
Why my own father couldn't look me in the eyes…
And why he said the bunker wasn't my home anymore.
They don't leave nature to do its thing.
They kill them on the spot, then hide the evidence for future people like us who are supposedly infected.
Without another word, I felt my eyes begin to haze over, my conscious no longer able to hold on, and fell lifelessly onto the floor. The dark void surrounded my vision, the only sound being the hum of the generator I'd only recently set up for power.
Alone…that's right, I was always alone, wasn't I?
'Did you feel like this too, mom?'
Chapter 3
V's P.O.V.~
"N?"
"Y-Yes?"
"What the FUCK am I looking at?!" J stomped her heeled foot angrily, the both of us flinching at her usual antics. She brought her thumb and index finger to the bridge of her nose, sighing with frustration. "I don't know how many more times I have to tell you but stop bringing me your kills! What do you want, a reward? For doing your JOB?!"
"J," I interjected, raising my hand up and taking another step forward. She never let N explain himself whenever she got this mad, and I wasn't about to watch her bring my lover down to a point of despair. "Listen, there's a reason why we BOTH brought her to you."
Gesturing my head in the direction of the purple-haired human, she lay on a table that J specifically liked to call our "draining room" within the pod. I swallowed a nervous lump down my throat, sucking in a deep breath.
"BOTH of you?" She leaned forward, arms folded across her chest and pigtails as sharp as ever. Her eyes widened, shock, fear, rage… and who knows what else hid behind them. To J, I've never defied her orders unless I had a good reason.
I nodded my head as N stood guard in front of the girl, making sure she wasn't suddenly pounced on. "She's still alive."
"And?" The leader shook her head, shrugging her shoulders. "Doesn't matter whether their alive or dead, we drain them anyways."
"Take a closer look at her, what do you see?"
She rose a brow in my direction, however I simply led her closer to the table, urging her to inspect closer. N clenched his hands into fists, sweat beading down his temple. Him and I were both having the same thought, the hope of how we didn't want anyone else to touch her. But what else could we do?
By my surprise she actually took my words into consideration and walked up to the table, giving her a once over before coming across the girl's face. J went still, her tail that was dangerously swaying back and forth now turning stiff, as well as her entire demeanor. "Her eye…"
"And the bandage." I pointed out. "Most of them are gone within days but if it was her room that we found her inside of then she's most likely been in paralysis for at least a year. T-That is we think so anyway."
She hummed with interest, switching her weight onto her other heel while rubbing her chin deep in thought. "Interesting…a whole year you say?"
"W-We think—"
"Shut it N, the adults are talking." J shot daggers into the male who tried to answer, but he snapped his jaw shut and rose his hands up in defense. His eyes stayed on the one on the table, not daring to look up. The corners of my mouth tilted downward into a frown. I know I can speak up, tell her N is a lot more capable than he looks. But if we did that then she would know…other things.
If I could hug him right now I would, but we have an individual who might benefit from this in some way…she had too…right? "Anyways—uh, we found her while looking for that second crew. Humans with those symptoms don't usually last that long, right? We thought she might be different somehow. It was enough to draw concern so we brought her to you."
"That's a good point," A smile slowly spread across her face, chills running down my spine from how eerily her voice taunted my eardrums. "How…odd. Where did you say you found her again?"
Heat rose to my cheeks, remembering the events that had transpired before. I didn't need to be a mind reader to know N was practically screaming out in his mind, worried about if we were going to get caught. "There's a small little apartment complex nearby with an alley on the outside. We found her in one of the rooms—"
"—what were you two doing in the alleyway?"
"N saw a light coming from one of the windows." The male nodded in agreement while still staying as quiet as a mouse. "We thought it was that group so we went to check it out. That's when we found her."
The older woman sighed, walking along the tables edge before lifting up one of the girls' hands, spreading her fingers. "Callouses, hm?." She shook her head, that dark chuckle cruelly present. We stared at her in horror. "V, you just made this a lot easier for me."
"What are you talking about? What are you going to do to her?" N stepped up, his own tail dangerously lingering over her head. He's trembling, scared at the small little action he'd just committed but I couldn't help the burst of pride exploding in my chest.
J clicked her tongue, clearly annoyed at the comeback though she seemed to enamored with the new human to be bothered. "I've been given some new orders from headquarters, and the purple blood sack here looks like she'd be the perfect candidate. Couldn't have fallen into my hands at a better time."
"What 'orders'?"
"None of your business, for now." She shrugged, inspecting the human's wrist. "Paralysis, huh? You must be a lucky one."
"So do you know then? What's going on with her?" I tried to ask in a casual manner, though had the feeling she knew something was up. That was just J for you, she could pinpoint someone's true nature from miles away.
The devil herself sighed, taking a closer look at the whole yellow aversion going on with her eye. "It's strange, can't say I've ever seen a quite human like this. Theoretically, I believe whatever's in her system is actually keeping her alive."
"Keeping her alive?" N muttered, scratching his head deep in thought before connecting the dots. "You think someone gave her something?"
J seeming impressed with his answer, rose a brow and hiked a hand on her hip. "Look at you finally thinking properly. But yes, whoever she was with clearly injected her with something. Those with what I assume is some kind of infection's attributes will start to conveniently turn the moment they exit the bunker, so whatever they use activates it and causes a reaction. In this case paralysis is probably one of the side-effects."
"So how is she still alive then? Shouldn't the poison have killed her?"
"Not if somehow their DNA works with them and activates the effects early. She must've started showing symptoms long before getting kicked out. I'd say it's like her body went into fight or flight mode and held off the poison long enough to subside. If we're just as lucky as she is, then her mind could still simply be in shock. If not, then we make some kind of cure."
"Yes because we can just magically pull a cure out of our asses." I mocked. "J, that could take months, and if she is in shock who's to say the poison still isn't perhaps active? What do we do then?"
"Why are you so eager?" She pressed, flipping her pigtails over her shoulder. Her golden pools beginning to glow with a radius, looking over N and I for any other kind of clue. My mind was screaming, telling me to shut up. To be honest I don't fully know why I want to protect her, but it makes me wonder if maybe I've hit my limit with the amount of death I've seen and caused. Either way her sharp fangs glimmered against the moonlight, lifting up the girls' wrist. "Tell me V…if I were to drink from her right now what would you do? Would you stop me?"
"No." I shook my head, crossing my arms over my chest and acting as if I didn't have a care in the world. "I'm just wondering if there wasn't a way to get another person on our squad. We'd be making much more progress than right now—considering N can't seem to fully wrap his brain around what a QUOTA is."
'I'm sorry hon please forgive me…'
"Hah!" J kicked her head back and laughed, dropping the arm before glancing in his direction. "N, you should really take some notes. Even V sees how useless you are to us. So much so she's willing to resort to finding a human to replace you!" She smacked her hand down onto the metal wall, his body not daring to move an inch.
His gaze was so sharp I thought he would kill me right then and there, though in reality I knew he'd get his revenge later…when we were alone.
"Hey…you know what? Maybe that's not such a bad idea…"
"What? J—hang on," Shit! Had I gone too far this time? It was just an excuse! "What do you mean? Are you actually going to turn her?!"
"Are you crazy? No! If I did that would go against our moral code. We don't turn individuals unless we get direct orders from the organization. You know that. What I'm talking about is a way to make ourselves more efficient. We won't turn her, but I think there's another way to get her out of the state she's in."
N's eyes widened with fear, baring his fangs. "You don't mean…?"
"Oh, stop being so dramatic. She won't die but it'll be enough to snap her out of it. As for the poison if she's been lying there for a year, her body is likely immune to it by now through general genetic force." She waved a hand of dismissal, but that cruel and chaotic smile was still smug across her lips. "Though…I'll let you do the honors as a reward for finding me this incredible one in a million chance. But don't get cocky about it, this doesn't mean I still don't have my eyes on you."
He gulped, wiping his hands along his parka and looking to me for any kind of conviction. I shook my head, leaning it towards the scary pigtailed leader who began to strut out of the room. However, she stopped just short of the doorway, placing a delicate hand along the metal trim.
"V?"
"Yeah?" I answered in a nonchalant tone.
"Zip your jacket up better next time before lying to me. If I catch you again I won't hesitate to put you in your place."
Oh shit.
***
"Fuck." I groaned, running my hands over my face once the door was shut. "The hell do we do now?"
"We do what she says." N stated bluntly, pursing his lips while looking at the girl laying on the table. Her eyes were still open, one eye a beautiful purple that shined like amethyst, while the other was a familiar yellow that was no longer a comfort.
My expression couldn't have been clearer, sparing a look of shock. "Are you kidding me right now? N!"
"What else are we supposed to do V? If J comes back and sees we haven't done anything she won't hesitate to do it herself. And you know how…messed up that can get."
He's not wrong, the mere memory of the past sends shivers down my spine. Am I still completely over it? Hell no, but do I want some random person to suffer her wrath? Also no. I'm in a bind, and I know in reality he's right. A sigh escapes my chest as I feel his arms loop around me in a tight embrace.
N doesn't need to say anything in order to interpret what he's thinking. It's a strong sense—and maybe even an assumption—but I know that he feels that strange connection too. Whether it's a vampire thing or something completely different, my curiosity is creating this burning itch I can't get rid of.
Though more importantly, she didn't ask to be exiled.
Doesn't matter what N and I think, humans like that are thrown to the wolves and left to survive. She had so much equipment with her that it made me wonder if she knew what was coming.
"That ground must have been so cold…" I whimpered, the feeling tugging on my undead heart strings. "Are we really doing this?"
"It's the only way." He pulled back, clearing his throat and turning around to look at her once again.
Since J had instructed N to be the one to perform the task, I simply took the girls wrist and felt for her pulse. It was still so strong and vibrant…alive. Envy ran through my head for a moment, she still got to be alive, running around. But then her situation could have differed, I don't know her yet I want to learn everything about her. Maybe it's just because she's a new face. Considering J wants her, she won't die, at least not automatically.
N on the other end lifted her wrist, staring at her eyes intently. "We can't get attached V." He said, not daring to look at me. His fangs were becoming more prominent, and I could tell he was hungry. Out of all of us N is the one who's restricted on how much blood he drinks.
"I know that. I'm not a kid N you don't have to remind me."
"I'm not trying to upset you. You're just…quiet."
"Yeah, so?"
"V…"
"Just get on with it already." I snapped.
And just like that, all of these feelings pouring out of me suddenly vanished, replaced with guilt for even thinking about someone else like that who wasn't the one I'm bonded with. He's right, I know that. This human is just another stupid pawn for whatever J's got planned.
The sound of something being pricked caught my attention, like a slap to the face the scent of blood found my nostrils. I sucked in a deep breath, feeling all of my control begin to loosen a little bit. I've always lost it when it came to blood, like my instincts just…took over. Remembering during a hunt was a lot harder, I'd fade out of existence and come out a bloody mess.
My head turned to find N slowly taking in as much as he could from her wrist, eyes glowing and tears daring to spill over. Biting the bottom of my lip I kept my fingers where they were, tracking her pulse, but never strayed my gaze off of him. His face began to flush with red, breathing convulsing into a heavy pant.
"Fuck…" He breathed in, pulling away. A small drop of blood trailed down his chin. "She…V she's sweet."
"Well then go back to drinking. You heard J." I shrugged, trying not to let an ounce of jealousy or weakness through. "Her pulse is starting to slow but you could probably go for about another minute."
The male looked at me intently, as if expecting me to break our leader's word. I'm not that stupid enough to lie again, and even then all I wanted to do in that moment was turn numb just like I always have under these circumstances.
One time, there was only one time when the pigtailed bitch punished me that I learned to never disobey again. She made me drink from someone who was still alive, watching the light fade away from their eyes was the worst feeling imaginable.
I kill before I eat, and she took that away from me. That one sense of humanity just stripped and gone. While I still abide by my own rules…it'll never be the same.
'One…two…three…'
"Alright, that's enough." I informed, causing him to finally release his grip. His lips were coated in red, eyes pinned on me. My gaze traveled down to his throat, adams apple slowly bobbing up and down while swallowing the last bits of what I knew were probably the best blood he's had in his life. "O-Okay…"
'Holy shit V keep your control don't pin him down now…'
Instead I focused on the girl, her pulse practically little to none, her skin growing paler and colder by the second. She's not dead, but it worries me how J's solution could possibly present a bad impression.
"Ugh…"
"Holy hell it worked!" He shouted excitedly, light beaming in his golden pools once more. I swapped a hand over his mouth shushing him, keeping the girl in my sights.
"Give her a minute N…she might not be all thrilled to see vampires right now."
I sucked in a breath as I watched her twitch, eyes slowly gaining more and more life back into them. Her lips moved until finally—
"ACK!" Her entire body shot up, grabbing her throat gasping for air. I pulled N back with me, giving her some space. She'd managed to get on her knees, continuing to take breaths with small tears running down her face. "W-Wha…"
Her hands gripped the edge, limber arms trying to hoist herself up but failing miserably. They were shaking, as I'd imagine since she hasn't moved nor spoke in about a year. She sounded hoarse, my mind finally clicking the shock together.
"Water! N she needs water!"
My voice caught her attention, whipping her head in our direction she paused. Her yellow eye was nowhere in sight, revealing a full set of purple orbs with spite engraved deep inside of them. However, reality kicked in and she scrambled off the table, barely able to stand while attempting to gain some distance, swiping a scalpel. The terrified girl held it in defense, body trembling horribly.
My entire being froze, unsure of how to approach even the simplest way of trying to explain to her how we weren't here to kill her. She's likely dizzy from the amount of blood loss, paint that with everything else right now and she was a mess.
I felt someone's hand squeeze my shoulder, finding my boyfriend next to me with a bottle of water in the other. For a split moment he offered me a reassuring smile, one of those 'let me take care of it' expressions. A strange sensation came over me, like something being closed off. Shrugging off his grip I simply scoffed and stepped back, gesturing a hand in front of me telling him to try his luck.
"Hey there, sleep well?"
"…" She rose a brow appearing unimpressed, lifting the scalpel higher.
"Okay! Not a talker, that's fine! We can work with that!" He sauntered forward slowly, holding up the bottle of water like it were some trump card. "We're not gonna hurt you, just figured you could use it." He set it down on the table, pushing it towards her.
A growl escaped her throat, eyeing the thing like it were the damn devil.
"It's not poisoned." I snapped at her in a cold tone. "Rather rude for the people who brought you out of your paralysis, don't you think?"
"V? What are you doing?" N gave me a questionable look, to be honest I'm not sure what the hell I was doing either. I held up a hand telling him to be quiet, leaning my head towards the closed door in case J was listening.
"Holding up a scalpel and then growling at us like some animal? I should've just killed you from the start." I slashed a nearby article of clothing from some poor unfortunate soul before, shining light on the old blood still imprinted on my skin. Baring my fangs made her back up a little, so I took the open window of opportunity. "Now, we need you alive. Drink the damn water, and then we'll go from there. Capiche?"
She scoffed but nodded.
"Good."